The Kansas City women's basketball team (2-2) will hit the road
for the first time this season when the Kangaroos head to Richmond, Va., to
take on VCU (0-3). Tip-off between the
'Roos and the Rams is slated for 6 p.m. CT at the Verizon Wireless Arena at the
Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Opponent Preview

VCU enters the game with an 0-3 contest, dropping road contests
to Elon, Manhattan and Old Dominion. On
the season, Robyn Parks leads the Rams at 17.7 points per game and 8.3 rebounds
per game, while Jessica Pellechio is adding 12.3 points and 4.0 rebounds each
contest. In the backcourt, Carleeda
Green has a team-high 14 assists to go along with 9.3 points per game, while
Shekinah Henry is averaging 7.3 rebounds and 5.0 points. As a team, VCU is hitting 43.0 percent of its
threes and out-rebounding its opponents on average 43.0 to 38.3.

Series Records

Last season was the first meeting between the Kansas City and VCU
with the Rams winning 78-70 on Nov. 19 in the Swinney Recreation Center. In the game Brianna Eldridge led the UMKC
effort, grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds, including eight offensive, while
scoring three points, dishing out three assists and notching two steals. Offensively, Dayon Hall-Jones posted a
team-high 16 points, while LeAndrea Thomas finished with 13 points, three
rebounds, three steals and two assists.
Hailey Houser, meanwhile, matched her career-high with 10 points off the
bench.

Coaching Matchup

After picking up her first two wins against Southeast Missouri
State and Saint Louis, Kansas City head coach Marsha Frese will look for her
first road win when she guides the 'Roos against the Rams. Prior to UMKC, Frese served as the associate
head coach at Northern Illinois and Illinois, while serving as an assistant at
Ball State, Maryland and Minnesota during her career.

Marlene
Stollings, the 2012 Big South Conference Coach of the Year at Winthrop
University, was named head women's basketball coach at VCU on June 5,
2012. Stollings, the 13th coach in VCU
Women's Basketball history, made a splash in her first year as a head coach in
2011-12, guiding Winthrop to more than 40 team and individual school records,
including just the program's second winning season (18-13) in 26 years. Prior to joining the Eagles, Stollings served
as an assistant at Southeastern Conference power Ole Miss from 2007-11 with the
final season as the Rebels' associate head coach. Her more than decade-long coaching and
recruiting career also includes stops in the Atlantic 10, Sun Belt and Horizon
League.

Last Time Out

The Kansas City women's basketball team (2-2) fell 78-55 on
Sunday afternoon to Pac-12 foe Colorado (2-0) at the Swinney Recreation Center
despite three Kangaroos reaching double figures in the contest.

For the 'Roos,
senior Kim Nezianya topped the team with 17 points eight rebounds and two
steals, while freshman Lauren Dudding added 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting,
including knocking down all three of her attempts from beyond the arc. For Kansas City, junior Eilise O'Connor was
the final 'Roos in double figures with 10 points, while Houser finished with
six points and two blocks. As a team,
the Kangaroos finished 11-of-14 from the free throw line, while knocking down
6-of-12 from three-point range.

Battling The A-10

Tuesday's match-up with the Rams will be the 'Roos second meeting
with an opponent from the Atlantic-10 after defeating Saint Louis 56-53 on Nov.
15.

O' Captain

Senior forward Kim Nezianya and junior guard Eilise O'Connor were
named as the Team Captains in a vote by the team's players and coaches. The players were selected after members of
the team went through an evaluation process with their teammates and coaches.

300th Win

The UMKC women's basketball program picked up its 300th win with
its 69-64 win over Southeast Missouri State on Nov. 12.

Future 'Roos in the Fold

Head Coach Marsha Frese and the Kansas City women's basketball
team added three future 'Roos to the mix during the early signing period with
the addition of 5-7 point guard Calli White, 6-0 forward Taylor Strickland and
6-1 forward Grace Mitchell. The trio
will represent the first signing class under Frese. White and Strickland join the 'Roos as
all-state performers out of Arkansas where they are teammates on Team Arkansas
AAU team, while Mitchell comes from Plano, Texas and was her team's MVP a
season ago.

'Roos Tabbed Second in Summit League Preseason Poll

The Kansas City women's basketball team was picked to finish
second in The Summit League this season in a vote by the league head coaches,
SID's and media.

School (1st place votes) Points

1. South Dakota State (22) 330

2. Kansas City (1) 260

3. Oakland 234

4. North Dakota State 221

5. IUPUI (1) 213

6. South Dakota 151

7. Western Illinois 138

8. Fort Wayne (1) 96

9. Omaha 43

O'Connor and Nezianya Honored by the League

Senior forward Kim Nezianya and junior guard Eilise O'Connor were
each selected to the Preseason First Team All-Summit League. Kansas City teammates Nezianya, an
all-tournament team honoree last season, and O'Connor, and Honorable Mention
All-League selection, represent the only teammates on the First Team after
helping the Kangaroos to just their second appearance all-time in the
championship game last year.

College Sports Madness Recognizes a Trio of 'Roos

Kansas City women's basketball junior Eilise O'Connor was named
to the preseason First Team All-Summit League, while senior Kim Nezianya and
junior Ashli Hill were each named to the Second Team according to College
Sports Madness.

Rockin' 'Roo Talent Show

The women's basketball team walked away the winners of the third
annual Rockin' Roo Talent Show on April 12.
This year's event was held at the Student Union Theater on the UMKC
campus and consisted of celebrity judges evaluating nine teams and their acts
in front of a crowd of 300.

Cousins on the Roster

The UMKC roster will feature cousins Kelsey Barnwell and Lauren
Dudding this season after the duo each decided to join the 'Roos out of
separate states. Barnwell comes to the
squad out of Kansas, Okla., while Dudding is a Lubbock, Texas, native. Junior Eilise O'Connor, meanwhile, enters her
third season in the Blue & Gold after becoming familiar with the school
thanks to her cousin and UMKC Hall of Famer Katie Houlehan.

Teammates Reunited

This season, senior Emile Blakesley and junior Kara Lee are
reunited on the court after spending the 2010-11 season as teammates at
Hutchinson Community College. That year,
the duo helped the Blue Dragons to 29-4 record, a conference championship and a
spot in the NJCAA Region VI Semifinals.

Nezianya on the Glass

Senior forward Kim Nezianya entered the 2012-13 season as the
leading active rebounder in The Summit League with 592. After leading the
Kangaroos in rebounding in each of her first three seasons, along with her five
rebounds this season, the Carrollton, Texas, native now has 597 in her career,
seventh most in school history.

Kansas City Record Book

Several members of the current Kansas City women's basketball
team have already placed their names in the school's record book. Senior Kim Nezianya is currently seventh
all-time in rebounds with 597 in her career and ninth in three-point percentage
at .354, while her 263 rebounds and .392
three-point percentage last season rank sixth and 10th, respectively. Junior Ashli Hill, meanwhile, is second
all-time in blocks with 147, while her total from her freshman and sophomore
seasons rank fourth and fifth all-time.
Junior Eilise O'Connor, the final 'Roo, sits eighth in free throw
percentage (.766) in her career, while
ranking third in assists (154) and eighth in free throws made (104) and
attempted (136) in a season.

Swinney Recreation Center

The home of UMKC Athletics, the Swinney Recreation Center houses
the Kangaroo administration, coaches and student-athletes. The Dutton
Brookfield Strength and Conditioning Center, the Victor F. Swyden Athletics
Training Facility and the Student-Athlete Support Services Office also are
located in the facility. Over the past
three seasons, the facility has received a major face-lift including upgraded
bleachers and a new floor installed this past summer.

Last Season

Last season, the Kansas City women's basketball team had one of
its best ever, finishing 22-12, making it to the championship game of The
Summit League Tournament and appearing for the first time ever in the WNIT,
while four 'Roos earned postseason honors for their play on the court.

2012 Kansas City Women's Basketball Team Accomplishments

22 win is the 2nd most
in school history and only second 20 win season

6 road wins is most in
school history

12 home wins is 3rd most
in school history

4 neutral court wins is
the most in school history

Played in Summit League
Tournament Championship Game for the 2nd time in school history

Defeated three RPI
top-100 teams

Led The Summit League in
off. rebound % (.357) and off. rebounding (14.3)

Had five comeback wins
when trailing by double-digits

2011-12 Individual Honors

Last season, several 'Roos received individual honors, including
Dayon Hall-Jones who was named First Team All-Summit League by the league and
Second Team by College Sports Madness, to the All-Summit League Tournament, to
the World Vision Basketball Invitational All-Tournament Team and league player
of the week three times. Eilise
O'Connor, meanwhile, was named Honorable Mention All-League by the league and
to the Third Team by College Sports Madness, while LeAndrea Thomas was named
the league's Sixth Woman of the Year and league player of the week once and Kim
Nezianya was named to the Fourth Team
All-League by College Sports Madness and to the All-Summit League Tournament
Team.

The Seniors

This season, the 'Roos will be led by a pair of seniors in
four-year member Kim Nezianya and second-year member Emile Blakesley. In 2011-12, Nezianya averaged 11.1 ppg and
7.7 rpg, while being named to the All-Summit League Tournament Team, while
Blakesley posted 2.4 ppg, 19 rebounds, 15 assists and 11 steals.

Fresh Faces

In 2012-13, the Kangaroo roster will feature five newcomers,
including four freshman who will see plenty of action with just 11 players on
the roster. This year's club welcomes in
junior college transfer Kara Lee, along with freshman Taylor Leathers, Jordan
Evans, Lauren Dudding and Kelsey Barnwell.

'Roos In The Backcourt

Starting point guard, Eilise O'Connor (5-8), returns for her
third-year after being named preseason First Team All-Summit League and will
serve as one of the team's two team captains.
Joining O'Connor in the backcourt is a pair of second year 'Roos in
senior Emile Blakesley (5-8) and sophomore Lexis Hardiek (5-7). Last season, the sharpshooting duo combined
to hoist 95 of their 103 field goals from three-point range, knocking down
33. Rounding out the Kansas City guards
are freshmen cousins Kelsey Barnwell (5-8) and Lauren Dudding (5-9). Barnwell comes to Kansas City out of Jay,
Okla., where she was a three-time all-state selection after leading Kansas High
School to a state championship during her tenure. Dudding, meanwhile, joins the 'Roos out of
Lubbock, Texas, where she was named the District 2-5A and Avalanche Journal
Player of the Year a season ago.

Kansas City at The Forward

At the forward position, the Kangaroos feature the longest
tenured 'Roo on the roster in four-year member Kim Nezianya (6-0), who has led
the 'Roos in rebounding in each of her three seasons, while being named to The
Summit League Championship All-Tournament Team a season ago. This year, Nezianya enters the year as a
preseason First Team All-Summit League selection and team captain. Taylor Leathers (6-0) joins the 'Roos out of
Blue Valley High School in Overland Park, Kan., where she led the Tigers to a
runner-up finish in the Kansas 5A State Championship as a junior. Jordan Evans (6-2), meanwhile, comes to
Kansas City from Tulsa, Okla., where she guided Webster High School to the 4A
Area 3 District Championship in each of the three previous seasons.

Women in the Middle

In the middle, the Kangaroos will send out a trio of juniors all
over 6-3. In 2011-12, Lawrence, Kan.,
native Ashli Hill (6-5) improved both her points and rebound per game numbers,
including notching a career-high 20 points in Allen Fieldhouse against
Kansas. Hailey Houser (6-3) enters her
third season at UMKC after posting 2.4 points and 1.7 rebounds per game last
season, while twice matching her career-high of 10 points. Kara Lee (6-4), meanwhile, helped Hutchinson
Community College to a 33-1 record and a runner-up finish in the national
championship game a season ago, while averaging seven points and four rebounds
per contest.

The Staff

The 2012-13 Kansas City women's basketball coaching staff returns
four members from last season's staff, while adding one new assistant
coach. Associate head coach Bruce
Erickson enters his fourth season with the program, while assistant coach
Meredith Doyle enters her third year at UMKC.
Jessica Trahan, meanwhile, enters her fifth season as the Director of
Basketball Operations with the program, while Liz Sowers is in her second year
as a graduate assistant coach after serving as a graduate manager. Danielle Gratton is the final member of the
staff, serving as the squad's other assistant in her first season.

'Roos In The Classroom

Last season, eight 'Roos were named to The Summit League Academic
All-League team, Kaycie Boyles, Sydney Crimmins, Brianna Eldridge, Dayon
Hall-Jones, Lexis Hardiek, Kelsey Knoche, Kim Nezianya and Eilise
O'Connor. In order to be named to
academic all-league team, each student-athlete must post a GPA of 3.0 or higher
in the semester in which they compete.
Additionally, Boyles, Crimmins, Hardiek, Knoche and O'Connor were each
named a Distinguished Scholar for posting a GPA above 3.6.

Meanwhile,
Boyles, Eldridge, Hall-Jones, Hailey Houser, Knoche, Nezianya and O'Connor,
were named to the Commissioner's List of Academic Excellence for posting a
cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better.

Kangaroo fans will now have the opportunity to follow the UMKC
women's basketball both home and away this season. During the 2012-13 campaign, all 32 Kangaroo
women's basketball games will be broadcast on the radio on KCWJ 1030 AM The
Light and Hot Talk 1510 AM. T.J. Jackson will call all the play-by-play action
for the 'Roos for the seventh straight season.

KSMO, meanwhile, will
broadcast two TV games this season, including Nov. 8 against Colorado and Dec.
28 against Omaha.